


(I've Got You) Under My Skin

by booksandtea15 (orphan_account), shitty4eyes (orphan_account)



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Changkyun is cocky but he's a genius so we forgive him, Fairy Minhyuk, Harry Potter-inspired, M/M, Professor Yoo Kihyun, Urban Fantasy, Veela Jooheon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-04-30 09:26:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14493936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/booksandtea15, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/shitty4eyes
Summary: "He what?""He passed. Well, he did more than pass. He aced the test, Kihyun.""That... that literally should not be possible. You're not supposed to be able to pass this test."“There’s always a first time for everything?” Hyunwoo offered helpfully. Kihyun grumbled, grabbing the paper from his hand.“No, okay, listen, this is… I mean, yes, technically , it’s possible to pass this test but…” Kihyun huffed, lowering his head to read the paper. It did very little to alleviate his confusion. “Half of it’s in Latin, Hyunwoo.”“I am aware, as I had to mark it.”





	1. Half Bad, My Ass

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LikeSatellites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeSatellites/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BECCA, WE LOVE YOU <3
> 
> Everyone, enjoy!

Kihyun had done this for years, and expected nothing, and had absolutely no reason to.

He was finishing up marking the final exams of his students, the large pile of entrance tests, all incredibly difficult, piled next to him with Hyunwoo, his assistant-professor (and reluctant friend), grabbing one off the pile every now and again to mark. It was an almost comfortingly predictable sound and sight.

Hyunwoo grabbed a paper, made a few marks with his pen, frowned at the paper and then, with a sigh, threw it on the pile next to his feet.

A familiar rhythm, and almost comforting.

Kihyun was getting lost in the essay a student had written, eyes critically finding the faults even as he agreed with some of the points, when the rhythm stopped.

Instead of a sigh and a slap as a paper hit the ground, there was a gasp, the sound of pages being paged through furiously, and then Kihyun looked up to see Hyunwoo scrambling up from his seat and almost slamming a paper in front of Kihyun.

"What?"

Hyunwoo was wide-eyed, an almost incredulous look to his face, tinted at the edges with amazement.

"He passed."

Kihyun frowned, head unsticking reluctantly from the ‘facts’ of the essay he’d been marking before Hyunwoo's words registered in his head.

"He what?"

"He passed. Well, he did more than pass. He aced the test, Kihyun."

"That... that literally should not be possible. You're not supposed to be able to pass this test."

“There’s always a first time for everything?” Hyunwoo offered helpfully. Kihyun grumbled, grabbing the paper from his hand.

“No, okay, listen, this is… I mean, yes, _technically_ , it’s possible to pass this test but…” Kihyun huffed, lowering his head to read the paper. It did very little to alleviate his confusion. “Half of it’s in _Latin_ , Hyunwoo.”

“I am aware, as I had to mark it.”

Kihyun flipped over the page with more force than necessary. “He has… terrible handwriting.” He squinted at the page, and the next, and the next, grumbling. “A lot of it, too.”

Hyunwoo shrugged, a small smile on his face.

“If that’s the worst thing you can say about this paper…”

Kihyun shoved the paper back at Hyunwoo. “I’ll let him into the class. Mostly to make sure he didn’t cheat.”

“Your papers are literally cheat-proof, you’ve been using the same spell for years and it’s never failed.”

“There’s always a first time for everything?” Kihyun smiled up at him, wondering how bad it would look to take back the paper and check the name written on the first page. Bad enough, he decided, and promptly didn’t do that, instead turning back to mark the paper in front of him that was predictably, comfortably, absolute rubbish.

 

\---

 

Kihyun looked out over the class, eyebrows raised at the amount of people that had made it into his class this year. Usually his senior class was no more than ten to fifteen students, if that many. He liked the low number. Liked the fact that not a lot of people were talented enough to get this far, to get even near the level he was.

(It made a part of him that sometimes worried he had wasted his life (his long, _long_ life) in the academics feel _good_ , feel smart.)

This year, however, he seemed to have close to thirty students, an almost unheard of amount. At least since he had taken over some... a lot of years ago.

Kihyun's eyes scanned the class once more, looking. Somehow, impossibly, someone had passed that test. (Not only passed, _aced._ ) He should be relatively easy to find, since he was the youngest, being able to skip years of classes due to an impossible placement test.

His eyes caught and stopped on a stocky boy leaning back in his chair, tilting it, and... trying to balance a pencil on his nose?

No, that couldn't be...

He scanned the class once more, seemingly busying himself with his papers, but another quick scan confirmed that this was the youngest person in this room. Who had now fallen over (of course, who tilts their chair anymore?) among raucous noise and laughter.

Kihyun's jaw clenched.

(His skin felt tight across his face, and, out of habit, his hand reached up to brush over his cheek, even though no one else could see it.)

"If you would refrain from playing on the furniture like this was a playground, it would be... appreciated," Kihyun said in the dryest, most sarcastic voice he could muster.

The class quieted, people settling down, and the boy, looking abashed and with his long bangs shaken forward to cover his eyes, bowed quickly before taking a seat.

Kihyun waited, leaning against the desk with his arms crossed until it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"I have to admit, I'm surprised so many of you made it into my class. I expect the number to decrease sharply. And shortly." Kihyun paused, waiting to see the effects of his words. Some people looked scared, others nauseous. Good. They should be. His eyes flicked to the boy to see him... looking up at Kihyun with bright eyes, pencil in hand. Hm.

"This is _not_ an easy class. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, either now, or in any assignments or tests. If you're in this class, some people apparently thought you were smart enough, dedicated enough, to get in. That was them. What _I_ think will depend entirely on you." Kihyun opened his mouth to continue, but the boy raised his hand. Kihyun frowned.

"Yes?"

The boy noisily pushed out his chair, standing up and bowing slightly before asking, "Will there be extra credit of any kind?"

Kihyun pursed his lips.

"I was getting to that. You may sit. You don't have to stand every time you ask a question. That wastes all of our time."

The boy flushed, deeply (a small, quickly stifled voice in Kihyun's head told him it was kinda cute), and sat down, keeping his head down this time.

Kihyun turned back to the class.

"Extra credit will only be given if I think you deserve it. It will _not_ be given as an equal opportunity to everyone, because frankly, I'm not convinced everyone in this class _should_ be here, and, furthermore, not everyone will appreciate the opportunity. Prove yourself, and I will offer you the opportunity."

The kid was looking up again, like he wanted to prove himself, like he could.

(Like anything he could do would be _new_ , would be enough to interest Kihyun. As if Kihyun hadn’t seen all there is to see already. Geniuses were all good and well, but they all fell, soon enough. Kihyun’s hand tightened around his own wrist. He knew that better than anybody.)

Kihyun turned away from the class and flicked his wrist, writing appearing on the blackboard as if written by an invisible hand. He smirked to himself at the few whispers he could hear make their way around the class. Wandless magic (and non-verbal, at that) wasn’t easy; it took years. A hundred, in Kihyun’s case.

“We’re starting with a simple potion to re-establish an object’s previous shape, and even permeance. Obviously, this has long ago moved onto organics, especially in medical fields and _especially_ in accident reversal. Something I’m sure we’ll need plenty of in this classroom,” he said, and someone laughed. He had a stinking feeling who it might be but ignored it. Mostly. “At the end of this lesson--” the whispers picked up again. “--I expect you to be able to not only brew this potion, but also for it to be able change an object into its previous shape. Failure to meet this expectation will result in immediate failure. Of the entire module.” Kihyun turned around, smirking lightly, watching as one half of the class typed furiously on their laptops, while the other half stared at him in barely concealed fear. “Am I making myself clear?”

Kihyun didn’t really expect an answer. Maybe a few terrified nods, here and there, maybe a quietly lowered head.

“What object?”

Kihyun blinked, slowly moving his eyes over to the speaker. Of course. Of fucking course.

“What’s your name?”

“Changkyun, sir.” He--Changkyun--answered with a smile, adjusting the glasses on his nose. “Hopefully that only answers your question, not mine.”

Kihyun pursed his lips, ignoring the nervous titters around him.

“Alright, _Changkyun_ , I suggest you learn to control your… _wit_. Of course, if you want to transform yourself, that’s your own prerogative. I would suggest something a bit less prone to permanent disaster, but I cannot and am not interested in controlling what any of my students choose to experiment on.”

“I think I’ll leave that for the end of the semester.” Changkyun paused and swallowed. “Right, yeah, I’ll shut up now.”

“Good choice.” Kihyun looked away from Changkyun. He wasn’t _just_ addressing him, after all. “All the information you should need, assuming you met all the expectations to be in this class, should be in chapter five of your textbooks. Of course, you’re free to use the internet for help, but I highly doubt you’ll actually find anything useful.”

Kihyun watched as the class bent down to their work, some still making notes, others, (in his opinion the stupid ones), already starting up their burners, heating up their cauldrons. Changkyun was one of those people, and, _somehow_ , his table was already a mess of notes and open books.

“The ingredients are in the cupboards at the back,” Kihyun said, already making his way through the standalone tables. “Put them back in _order_ , and I’ll know if you don’t and I’ll know if it’s you.”

A handful of students filed their way to the back, and, for some goddamn reason ( _probably, Kihyun, because he’s the first person to pass your impossible test and you can’t help yourself_ ) he kept glancing at the kid. He’d chosen this task for a reason, after all.

He saw him frown, grab a pen, and scribble. In the textbook.

Kihyun seethed silently.

Okay, _first of all_ , who wrote in the goddamn textbook with a _pen?_ Everyone knew you used pencils. It was like, one of those rules that made Kihyun’s hair feel like he hadn’t combed it when people didn’t follow it.

(Hyungwon had once said he looked like a disgruntled cat when it happened, but Kihyun had ignored him. Hyungwon was one to talk, after all, walking around with a fucking bunny under his arm everywhere.)

Changkyun flipped around in the book, scoffed, turned back to the page, and took out his phone. Unbelievable.

Kihyun distracted himself watching someone grab the exact wrong ingredient from the back room and pondering whether he’d have to keep his wand at hand. (He wandered back to his desk and slid his wand into the inner pocket of the robes that were slung over his chair. Just in case.) Most of the students had gotten to the point of preparing their ingredients--absolutely none of them daring to ask questions, which was as worrisome as it was mildly amusing. He didn’t actively discourage asking questions… on purpose. Well, at least not smart ones. If you were the sort of person to ask questions about every little thing, Kihyun had no patience for it.

He glanced back at Changkyun just in time to see him sprinkling lizard scales-- _already?_ \--into his potion, arm held up and wrist bent as he let it fall from between his index finger and thumb. It looked familiar. Somehow.

The student next to him glanced at him and snorted, offering a hand for a high five. Interesting.

There was a puff of orange smoke from the back of the room, and Kihyun sighed as he dialed the emergency number of the clinic on campus. He’d been teaching this class for too long (so long) not to know what was going to happen next.

Sure enough, five minutes later, during which Changkyun seemed to make incredible progress on his potion, much to Kihyun’s consternation, a small thump sounded from the back of the room, and Kihyun looked over to see students starting to yell as they backed away from a melting cauldron and a collapsed student.

This was _exactly_ why he didn’t like people who didn’t know the textbook inside and out coming into his class.

With a quick flick of his hand, Kihyun vanished the viscous orange sludge, walking forward and shooing the students away.

“Okay, nothing to be too alarmed about. Not if you actually _read_ through the recipe, that is.”

Kihyun stepped forward, plucked out his wand to wave over the student and confirmed he was still breathing. As the clinic people burst in, an old hand, Minhyuk, grinned over at him.

“Another one bites the dust, eh?” Minhyuk sing-songed, pinching the cheek of the unconscious student and smiling up at Kihyun.

Kihyun, who resisted the urge to look over and see how his students was taking the fact that someone was talking this casually to him, sighed.

“Just make sure he doesn’t cook inside his own head, please.” Kihyun made to step away but hesitated, falling back onto his back foot. “Oh, and Minhyuk, be sure to inform him that he failed the class when he wakes up.”

Minhyuk rolled his eyes, but nodded and rolled the student out of there a few minutes later, throwing a wave at Kihyun over his shoulder.

Kihyun shook his head. _Fairies_. No sense of propriety on them.

The class continued and nobody else passed out. A few cauldrons started smoking, a distressed girl burned her hand slightly, but nothing needing much more than a bandaid. Kihyun took a breath to announce how much time was left--not enough, by the looks of it--when he smelled it. Cinnamon.

 _What the fuck_.

“Who is that?”

Everyone looked up from their cauldrons, looking miserable and confused. (One boy seemed to be silently crying as he stared down at his cauldron, expressionless.) Kihyun refused to look at Changkyun. It couldn’t be him. To brew this potion this quickly, you had to do it practically perfectly.

“Who is… what, sir?” a student asked (their potion was purple. Kihyun wasn’t even going to bother trying to remember their name).

Kihyun sniffed the air angrily. It was unmistakably cinnamon.

“Does anyone else smell cinnamon?” someone asked behind him.

Students started sniffing the air, exclaiming as the scent hit them, and, glowering, Kihyun turned to face Changkyun, unwilling to see the almost undeniable result.

Changkyun was grinning, beaming over his cauldron, sweaty hair stuck to his forehead as he bent over his cauldron, stirring carefully. He’d pulled his steamed-over glasses onto the top of his head, locks of hair pointing in various directions over his sweat beaded face. He turned his grin to Kihyun who-- _who couldn’t fucking believe_ \--

Kihyun took a few steps closer, pushing his sweater up to his elbows, the heat of the room and the burners getting to him as he moved closer. He slotted himself in next to Changkyun, grabbed the ladle from his hand, stirred once or twice, and scrutinised the surface closely. Changkyun shifted next to him, uncertain.

“Don’t be mad, it’s supposed to smell like cinnamon.”

“ _I know it’s supposed to smell like cinnamon_ ,” Kihyun gritted out, turning off the burner. “There’s just no conceivable way for it to smell like _fucking cinnamon_.”

Changkyun blinked at him, eyes wide.

“Well, not with this recipe,” Changkyun said after a moment and a swallow, gesturing to his book full of scribbles. “Well, the one in the book. Look--” he picked up the book and held it up to to Kihyun like Kihyun wasn’t red in the face and holding a really hot ladle. “If you add the beeswax in the beginning, it completely cancels out the reagent property of the mandrake which is _literally_ what makes this potion work in the first place.”

Kihyun placed the ladle down, lowered his hand, clenched his jaw, and turned to face Changkyun, who was still pushing the book into his face.

“ _I know that_ . I wanted to find out if _you all_ knew that.” Kihyun pointed to the board, where his recipe was still displayed. “I just said add beeswax and and mandrake, not at the same time.”

“Oh,” Changkyun lowered the book. “Then why are you so red?”

Kihyun flushed even more. “Because it’s _hot_ in here, and I didn’t actually… expect anyone to have read the book.” Kihyun pursed his lips. This was… irritating and humiliating, to say the least. Though, that may be a tiny bit his own fault.

“What, really?” Changkyun gaped, glancing around the room and leaning in just a bit. “How did people pass the placement test without reading the book?”

“They don’t. People… well, they usually don’t.”

Changkyun looked even more confused, not actually _saying_ anything as much as just frowning at him and Kihyun realised he was just standing there looking at this unpredictable, stupid but _not_ stupid student, and cleared his throat and, before walking to the front of the class again, leaned in to say, quietly, “Stay behind after class. I want to talk to you.”

Changkyun frowned, but nodded at him, and Kihyun walked to the front of the class, pulling his sleeves back down and taking a deep breath before addressing them.

“I’m not surprised no-- almost none of you managed to do this. Fill a small vial with whatever potion you managed to scrounge up, put your name on it, put it on my desk, and I’ll see if it can actually _do_ something besides stink up my classroom. Oh, and if you leave your station without cleaning up, I _will_ give you zero for this assignment.”

The students--all of them wonderfully pale--did as instructed, before filing into a line in front of his desk. Kihyun saw Changkyun wait until everyone placed their vials into the container in front of him and make a break for the exit, before walking up to Kihyun’s desk, vial grasped in his hand.

“You… wanted to talk to me?"

Kihyun walked behind his desk, settling down in his chair, before plucking out his wand and conjuring up another chair. (Wandless magic was fancy and all, but doing too much of it gave Kihyun a headache, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with that, as well).

“Sit. Please.”

Changkyun plopped down onto the chair, letting his bag fall off his shoulder to rest on the floor next to his feet. He went to clasp his hands together, realised he was still holding the vial in his hand, and placed it on Kihyun’s desk. It was silent for a moment as Kihyun scrutinised Changkyun.

If Kihyun had glanced at him cursorily he probably wouldn’t have given him a second thought. Oversized hoodie, black hair just a tad too long, round glasses… a normal college student. But, but he had… intrigued Kihyun. He seemed for all the world like a clumsy, wide-eyed young kid, but he hadn’t hesitated to correct Kihyun when he thought he was wrong, had _seen_ the trick in Kihyun’s recipe, something that had only happened, maybe twice before in Kihyun’s career. And both times by repeating students.

Changkyun cleared his throat, hand going up to scratch the back of his neck.

“Sir…?”

Kihyun shook his head. Right.

“When did you-- you read the book before you took the test?”

“Er.” Changkyun scratched at his neck again. “There was a massive line for the test and it was the only thing I had to read and I figured it couldn’t hurt."

“You… read the entire book while waiting to sign up for the test?”

“While waiting to write it, but yeah.” Changkyun winced. “Sorry, that’s not great, I should have studied more but I _assume_ I passed or I wouldn’t be here,” Changkyun laughed nervously.

Kihyun almost choked. _Almost_ . It was a close thing. This, this _boy_ had, had completely fucking _aced_ his test, while just _reading the book before the exam_.

“You speak Latin?”

“Er. It was a phase.”

Kihyun looked down at his own hands folded in his lap, and swallowed. Okay.

“I… need to think a bit. I might be talking to you later on about… things.” Kihyun paused. “What, exactly, are you studying? I assume it’s something to do with Transfiguration and Potions?”

Changkyun nodded enthusiastically. “I took Charms as an elective this year, as well. But I already have a degree in Physics and Biology, and I finished my Chemistry degree last year. Thought it would be a good background for getting into Transfigurations and Potions, and understand, like, the science of it? Especially for classes as advanced as yours.”

Kihyun let out a breath. That… was a lot. Especially for someone who looked like he had just barely moved out of his parents’ house.

“Interesting.” Kihyun waved a hand, gesturing Changkyun upwards. “Well, I’ll see you next week Mr… well I assume you _do_ actually have a surname I could use instead.”

“Im,” Changkyun said and his cheeks dimpled as he smiled and picked his bag off the floor, slinging it over his shoulder as he got up. “Changkyun’s fine, though, sir.” Changkyun walked to the door, hesitated, before turning around with a small frown, bemused smile playing around his lips. “Wait, so… you wanted to talk to me... about talking me soon... about things?”

“Um.” Kihyun blinked, knowing his chair and the earth wasn’t titling and heating up drastically at the same time even though it felt like that. “Yes.”

“Okay, then,” Changkyun nodded simply, smiled, turned, and left.

 

\---

 

Jooheon jumped, startled at the sound of Changkyun’s forehead slamming down onto the table. He glanced around, but nobody in the food court seemed to have noticed.

“You okay there?”

Changkyun let out a guttural groan.

“Chip?” Jooheon held out a single chip, drenched in tomato sauce and Changkyun slowly looked up, reached out and stuffed it into his mouth, looking entirely disatisfied. Jooheon patted him on the back. “Cheer up, it’s the first day. Things can’t be that bad _already_.”

“It’s not _bad,_ I just--” Changkyun groaned again and made a half-hearted grabby hand in Jooheon’s direction. Jooheon sighed and handed him another chip. “You know this... _problem_ , I have with authority?”

“You mean the one where you get a boner every time someone gets strict?”

Changkyun nodded and munched thoughtfully, an almost wistful look on his face. “Authority has a name, Lee Jooheon, and stupid glasses, and washed out jeans, and sweaters that look like my grandfather would wear them, and I have a real problem with it.”

“...You like a grandfather?”

Changkyun scoffed, before pausing and thinking back. It _was_ said that he was one of the oldest witches alive today, so. “Quite possibly. But no, he looks, like, not a few years older than us? But _damn_ , he quieted a whole class with one look. _One look_ , Joohoney.”

“And you, a baby gay, almost came in your pants.” Jooheon waited for Changkyun to deny this, waited, and sighed. “Who is this powerful being, anyway?”

Changkyun hummed, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the chips were actually Jooheon’s, and eating entirely at his own volition. “Professor Yoo. Gives that, _apparently_ , super difficult Transfig and Potion class?”

Jooheon choked a bit, coughing lightly. “ _Apparently?_ Kim Namjoon, _the_ Kim Namjoon, took that class a few years ago and apparently barely passed it! And, apparently, the professor is a real hard-ass.”

Changkyun smiled at nothing in particular. “Mmm. He _does_ have a nice ass.” Jooheon hit him on the arm. “Ow? Jeez? Can’t a guy admire an ass without enduring your wrath? And honestly, I don’t see the big deal.” Changkyun let out a laugh. “He actually had his first lesson be a big ol’ trick, it’s actually quite funny. Joshua fainted. Totally his own fault but still, funny.”

“God, really? Is he okay?”

“Probably. Failed the class, though.”

Jooheon spluttered. “ _Already?_ Damn. I wanna send Namjoon some flowers, now.”

Changkyun sank down in his chair, tilting his head and watching the various students walking across the bridge and through the food court. “I wonder if Yoo teaches Alchemy, too…”

“Maybe focus on this class first? I realise you have, like, three degrees already, but still, this _is_ the most difficult course in. Well.” Jooheon took a moment. “East Asia. Possibly the world. So, just like, just settle, okay?”

Changkyun kicked his legs under the table and pouted, a passing student looking mildly startled. “Fine. At least I know I won’t get bored. I hope he always wears sweaters. Sweaters or nothing, I say.”

Jooheon opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it and kicked Changkyun.

“ _Seriously_ , why are you _hitting_ me so much today--”

“Isn’t that him?”

Changkyun (very subtly, very nonchalantly) turned his head to follow Jooheon’s eyes.

“Yeah, that’s him,” Changkyun said, and tilted his head, frowning. His professor looked so _different_ , for some reason. Smaller, somehow. That classroom was very clearly his, and he filled its space, but here… Changkyun squinted, watching the light reflect and refract off of him, off of his glasses, no, _him_ \--

Jooheon rolled his eyes. Changkyun didn’t even have to look at him to know that. "You're staring."

“Yep.”

“It’s the glamour.”

“What?” Changkyun whipped his head around at his best friend for a moment, before frowning and looking back at Kihyun, standing with his back against one of the multistory windows looking out at trees, skyscrapers and a blue sky. “No, he’s not wearing a glamour.”

“Maybe you’re just biased,” Jooheon sighed, and Changkyun could see him tilt his head in the corner of his eye. “It glints in the sun. It’s a glamour.”

“ _No_ ,” Changkyun groaned. Was this the same frustration Kihyun felt on a daily basis? Probably. Changkyun wouldn’t want to deal with a class of students who didn’t seem to know the first thing about what they were studying anyway. “The colour's all wrong. Glamours are fancy, sparkly, this is just. I don't know.” Changkyun shifted where he sat and looked away, suddenly feeling like he was intruding, somehow. “Matte. Like looking at a wall.”

Jooheon stayed quiet and for the first time in a long time, Changkyun felt… uncertain.

(Changkyun didn’t like feeling uncertain. He liked _knowing_ , and _understanding_ . Things he didn’t understand frustrated him, and he always tried his damned to understand it. He couldn’t _stand_ anything not making sense.)

“Excuse me? Gosh, I’m so sorry.”

Changkyun blinked himself out of his sudden-onset reverie, looking over to see a pink-faced girl facing Jooheon, a polaroid camera in her hands, gripped tight to her chest. Jooheon blinked up at her, eyes wide like this didn’t happen fucking _daily_ . Changkyun sighed and sat backward, knowing that if he interfered without Jooheon’s permission, Jooheon would be even _more_ embarrassed and flustered.

“Would you mind if I took a picture of you?”

“I, um, I don’t…” Jooheon trailed off, blushing. “I don’t know you? And I don’t really like pictures…” Jooheon trailed off, looking down.

She looked mildly slighted and Changkyun rolled his eyes. Poor Jooheon. He hadn’t asked to be born irresistible (aka part-Veela). Changkyun had gotten so used to it over the years, had known Jooheon for far too long to care, but it was undeniable and he could hardly blame the girl. But _still_.

“Oh. Right, sorry, that makes sense,” she said, lowering the camera and smiling sheepishly. “I’ve just never seen a Veela before.”

Oh no. Changkyun sat up, watching as Jooheon’s shoulders squared and his jaw clenched.

“I’m only _part_ -Veela, and I’m not in a fucking _zoo_ for you to come look at. Please, kindly, fuck off.”

Changkyun let out a breath, watching as the girl, red-faced and embarrassed, huffed out a breath and stormed away.

“Yeah, if you were full-Veela she’d be fighting off a fireball to the face right now.”

Jooheon frowned.

“I’m just, I’m just _so_ sick and tired of people judging me and, and thinking they’re _owed_ a piece of me just because of what I was born. It’s _such_ bullshit.”

Changkyun’s features softened, pursing his lips. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. Hey, at least you have the entire schooling system as your own personal Sugar Daddy,” Changkyun joked lightly, giving his best friend a reassuring little pat on his hand.

Jooheon sighed, smiling tiredly.

“Which is also a load of shit. I mean, I’m grateful, but I’m just… a person.” Jooheon held out an arm, staring at it as if it was a part of something else. “What’s so special about what I look like anyway?”

“The dimples, mostly.” Changkyun smacked his arm. Lovingly. “Hide your sexy hair, honey buns, we have a class to attend.”

“Oh,” Jooheon said, pulling his beanie back over his head, standing up, Changkyun following suit, “and the amount of people who asks whether or not I’ve dyed my hair is _ridiculous_ . Like, do they know _nothing_ about Veelas?”

Changkyun threw a last look over at Kihyun, quickly turning back to Jooheon when it looked like he was about to look up from his phone.

“I’ve learned not to underestimate the stupidity of the general population.”

“That’s not fair,” Jooheon complained, looping his arm around Changkyun’s shoulders. “To you, anyone who can’t do Calculus 3 is stupid. Which is just _not true_ , my guy.”

“It’s like they’ve just not _tried_ , you know?” Changkyun said and they laughed together, ignoring every stare or look thrown their way.

 

\---

 

It was only the second class, and already there were ten students less. Kihyun had failed two of them himself, including the one that had fainted, but the rest seemed to have quit on their own. He wasn’t _proud_ of that fact, per se, but it _was_ validating in a strange way. Though, he should try not to lose any more. He _did_ actually want people to learn stuff, even if he _did_ have unconventional ways of showing that.

He waited until every student trickled into class, eyes narrowing as Changkyun rushed into class just as the clock struck ten past, the official starting time. Cutting it close. Arrogant about what he knew. Hm.

He looked up, content when the class instantly quieted.

“As you can see, a few of your classmates aren’t here anymore. I hope no more of will quit, or fail, but, as always, that’s all in your own hands. The last class was a bit of a test anyway. Today I’ll give you more leeway, more… creativity. I want a potion that will make the drinker change into the object of their greatest desire, be it an object, or a person. Remember, this potion incorporates both organics and the inorganic, so the potion has to reflect that. I don’t want a living, breathing object, and neither do I want a doll for a human. I won’t deduct marks for an easy and reliable potion, but I _will_ be giving bonus marks for a potion that manages to be complicated, yet simple.”

Nobody looked _too_ confused. It was progress. They all flipped through their textbooks--all except, of course, for Changkyun, who had jumped off his chair and was already looking through the ingredients’ cupboard. Did he even _look_ at a recipe?

“Professor?”

He turned to the girl (her potion had been acceptable, almost very good. She would probably last two, maybe three semesters) and walked over, deciding it might be better to periodically check up on Changkyun instead of watch him like a hawk.

(Because that was creepy, and he should try to not be creepy. Like a normal human being.)

It still didn’t explain the way Kihyun’s eyes always found their way back to him, though. He milled through the students, periodically stopping potentially disastrous accidents from happening, dampening a burner here and there, grabbing a careless hand with an ingredient that would _definitely_ be dangerous.

Everything went, well, _fine_ , for a while, like normal, until, while Kihyun was frowning at the black sludge one student had created, trying to figure out where, exactly, _that_ had happened, he heard a delighted little giggle behind him. He spun around, frowning, to see Changkyun staring in awe at the person in front of him, who had, seemingly, been roped into testing Changkyun’s potion, since said person was staring down at themselves like they couldn’t believe their eyes.

Kihyun saw red.

“ _What do you think you’re doing?_ ”

The giggling died out like a door had been slammed shut, Changkyun looking at Kihyun with wide, blinking eyes.

“I’m, er,” Changkyun said, gesturing vaguely, “Experimenting.”

Kihyun walked closer, wishing that, for once, he had robes to flair out behind him. To make A Point.

“ _Experimenting?_ On a _student?_ Did you, even for _one second_ , consider how dangerous and _irresponsible_ this was?”

Kihyun was seething, hot under his collar, hands clenched. The other students were whispering around him, and he even saw a few phones held up, as if taking a video. He made a note of that in the back of his mind, but otherwise focused all his attention on the boy in front of him. Who didn’t look scared, or guilty, or in _any way_ aware of what he had done.

“Uhm, no?” Changkyun shrugged, shifting from one foot to the other like he was waiting for a bus and not being reprimanded. “The potion’s perfect, he’ll be fine.”

Kihyun gritted his teeth. He was _not_ going to yell.

“ _‘The potion’s perfect--’_ Are you _kidding me?_ ” Kihyun took a deep breath. Come on, he could do this without completely losing his shit, even _if_ the boy in front of him seemed completely unconcerned with the severity of the situation.

Changkyun nodded, reaching out for a scrap of paper on his table and holding it out for Kihyun.

Without even looking at the paper, Kihyun shook his head.

“It’s not _about_ whether or not the potion is perfect. I’ve lived for a few hundred years, and I could almost guarantee you all my potions would be perfect, but I would _never_ use one on a student, because what if I had made a mistake, somewhere? I am a _master_ of this field, and I would have hesitated. Are you arrogant enough to have believed that, just because you thought it was perfect, whether or not it was is irrelevant, that you would let another student use it? You yourself, being a _student_ , here in this class to _learn_ , because you _don’t_ know everything, despite what you may think.”

Changkyun’s hand didn’t waver. He pursed his lips and held a steady gaze. It was _infuriating_.

“It has a failsafe, _sir_ ,” Changkyun said. “If you’d looked at my recipe you would have seen that.”

Kihyun took a deep breath. Took another. And another. He looked around the class.

“Everyone, please clean up your stations and leave. Your assignments will be marked with what I had seen. Mr Im, please stay behind. We need to have a _talk_.”

This was going to be ugly enough as it was, Kihyun could feel it building hot and heavy in him. He didn’t need all the students to be even more terrified of him then they already were.

Changkyun quirked his eyebrows and tongued his cheek as he turned to his station, gathering the ingredients to pack them away, cleaning as he went and pouring the potion into a flask. He took the flask and his bag, conjured a chair for himself across from Kihyun’s desk in the front of the class, plopped down, and happily waved to students as they left.

Kihyun forced his gaze away from the object of his frustrating, burning, anger, and focused on the transformed student.

“I don’t know your name, and honestly don’t care at this point. If you were stupid enough to drink another student’s potion, I’m not sure I _want_ to know. Go to the mediclinic, ask for Minhyuk. He’ll sort you out.”

The student nodded meekly, gathering their stuff before heading to the door, the last to leave.

“Or just wait an hour!” Changkyun called after the student, before huffing indignantly and turning away as they scuffled away.

Kihyun folded his hands in front of him, turning towards Changkyun, who was leaning back in his chair, although he looked slightly less relaxed than he had when there were still students in the class. Marginally.

“Do you know why I’m angry at you?”

“In theory,” Changkyun mumbled, playing with the lid of the flash between his fingers and looking somewhere to Kihyun’s left.

“Explain to me, then, why I’m angry.”

“Because,” Changkyun said, shifting and actually turning his eyes to look at Kihyun, reciting in a deadpan voice. “Experimenting on students with untested, newly-designed potions could, potentially, if said potion was brewed or designed incorrectly--which this potion _wasn’t_ \--be dangerous. They’re an idiot for drinking it, but the potion is perfect, so, _in theory,_ you have every right to be angry.”

Kihyun’s eyes narrowed.

“This wasn’t _theory_ , though. This was _real_ _life_ , where something could have _really_ gone wrong.”

Changkyun smiled tensely. “Could have. Didn’t, though.”

“This is _not_ a game. Suppose the potion was perfect, which, fair enough, it might’ve been. The student could have been allergic to something in the potion. Even if it had worked perfectly, the student _still_ could’ve fallen dangerously ill. Might still, if it was a delayed reaction. And, you know, if I was so inclined, I could report you. I could report you, and make sure you _never brew another potion again._ This wasn’t just dangerous, both for your own arrogance and the student, but for your _career_ . I don’t _care_ if you’ve never done anything wrong in your life, if everything you’ve ever tried has turned out perfectly. Ignoring rules set in place to protect you, to protect the subject, is dangerous, and _illegal_.”

Kihyun took a deep breath, and walked closer, wanting to drive the point home as much as possible. Changkyun was staring at his lap, flask in his hands, white with how tight his grip was.

“I don’t _care_ how smart you think you are, or if you think you don’t _need_ this class, which, at this point, I’m starting to think you do think, you will _not_ pull another stunt like this in my classroom and, if you’re smart, anywhere else. I expected more of the student who was the first to ace my preparation test in about fifty years. If you’re really arrogant enough to pull a stunt like this, you shouldn’t be in this class, because _clearly_ , you’re not ready to learn.”

Changkyun’s fingers twitched around the flask. “I... didn’t know that.” Changkyun sighed. “Listen, I _know_ it was reckless, okay, I get it, but we both know this is a _ridiculously_ simple potion and I would _not_ have given it to them if there was any doubt.” He looked up, eyes suspiciously shiny, but looking at Kihyun with something he recognised as fierce determination. “And I’m sorry. I _am_ smart, and I know that’s not an excuse, but I actually do want to be here to learn. It’s the only place I feel like I can. And,” Changkyun paused. “And I wanted to impress you, alright? I got a bit... carried away. ”

Kihyun pursed his lips. He was slightly surprised Changkyun had given in so easily, but he still saw that arrogant tilt to his jaw, that raise of the head. (He knew that look, knew that feeling. Knew how feeling so smart it feels like you could do no wrong felt like. It was empowering and wonderful and terribly, terribly _false_.)

“Stop trying to impress people. You’ll end up in more trouble than you ever bargained for, trust me. It’s…” Kihyun trailed off, hand absent-mindedly trailing his forearm. “It’s not worth it. Really, it’s not. Be content with knowing you’re good,” he finished quietly, turning around, abruptly almost too tired to stand, sagging slightly against the table. It had been a long day, and a hot day, and, as such, he had covered more of his body than usual in the glamour, and he was starting to feel the effect.

Changkyun watched him, fiddling. Kihyun could almost see the cracks in his facade, the kid’s eyes still shiny, face pale but ears red.

“I want to be better,” Changkyun said, soft in the quiet of the classroom. “Not _for_ anyone. I want to learn, and I _know_ you’re a master in this field, I’ve read your damn studies, for God’s sake, you’re brilliant. I don’t even know why you bother with this job. I wouldn’t.”

Kihyun shook his head. Changkyun sounded so _young_ . So idealistic, so… full of dreams. He reminded Kihyun so much of a younger Kihyun it almost _ached_.

“ _You_ also haven’t lived for over two hundred years and through three wars, Mr Im.” Kihyun blinked away the memories. “Being smart isn’t everything, and it certainly isn’t enough. It’s good to want to be better, as long as you know _why_ you’re doing it. As long as that reason isn’t intrinsically linked to wanting to look good in someone else’s eyes.”

Changkyun let out a breath and put the flask down on Kihyun’s desk, trying for a smile at the older (much, much older) man. “Are you insinuating that your opinion of me doesn’t matter? I’m not even sure what being good _is_ , but if I’m good in your eyes, that’s gotta mean something.”

“I’m insinuating that, if you’re good enough, you won’t _have_ to look good in anyone’s eyes.”

Changkyun breathed out a small laugh and tilted his head at Kihyun. “Teach me.”

“Teach you?” Kihyun’s legs were begging him to sit down, his whole body drooping with tiredness, and he slowly made his way over to his chair and sat down.

“Yeah, teach me,” Changkyun said, sitting a bit forward in his chair, and Kihyun was reminded of that kid he’d spotted in his first day of class, eagerly taking notes. “I’ve read that book. Cover to cover. There’s nothing I can’t do. _Teach me_.”

Kihyun pursed his lips, leaning back in his chair.

“There are things you can’t do. Yet.” Changkyun looked ready to interrupt, but Kihyun held up a hand. “I know you can do more, though.” Kihyun paused, tilting his head, considering. “You know, I _was_ thinking of taking on a new apprentice…”

The younger boy perked up at this, eyes brightening and lips threatening to pull into a smile.

“Any potential candidates so far or…?”

Kihyun breathed out a soft laugh at that. “Possibly. Now, go. It’s almost six, and you’re keeping me way past my usual office hours.”

“Well, I’m not complaining,” Changkyun said-- _teased?_ \--and stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “But alright.” Changkyun turned to leave but hesitated, turning back to Kihyun with a wince. “Are you, I mean, are you okay?”

Kihyun blinked. “I’m fine. Why?”

Changkyun bit down on his lip. “You look like a candle that’s about to go out.”

Kihyun stiffened, before smiling stiffly. “Old age will do that to you.”

“Well,” Changkyun said, doing a little twirl at the doorway. “You don’t look half bad for a man past two centuries. But goodnight, Professor.”

Kihyun was taken aback, abashed. It was only when Changkyun had left the room that he recovered enough to smile and laugh softly to himself.

“Half bad, my ass.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no, we haven't forgotten about all our other fics but this one came into our house and beat us with a stick alright
> 
> feel free to guilt trip us on twitter @shitty4eyes @booksandtea15
> 
> also, wish @likesatellitez happy birthday or we're coming for you (not really) (but really)


	2. The Kobayashi Maru

“Why were you up all night reading academic articles?” Jooheon was propped up on Changkyun’s bed, head thrown back, eyes closed as the massager he had charmed hovered above his head and dug into his pressure points. Changkyun couldn’t help thinking, watching Jooheon laid out like that, that Jooheon’s fans were really missing out on his beauty. His  _ actual  _ beauty, past that magnetic charm Veelas radiated.

Changkyun shrugged, shifting a few papers around on his desk. “I don’t know. I was just… I was interested.” He frowned at the paper in his hand, the title reading out  _ ‘Why You Should Trust Your Star Sign’ _ . When did a search on Transfigurations and Potions turn into star signs?

“You’re not usually this manic until it’s exam season, and then only because you haven’t studied at  _ all _ in the semester,” Jooheon grumbled, groaning slightly. Changkyun rolled his eyes and chucked an eraser at Jooheon’s head.

“Stop criticizing my technique and moaning like a whore in the same breath. I’m just doing some...” Changkyun deliberated. “Pre-course research. It’s the most difficult course at this University, I can at least try and make an effort.”

“Right,” Jooheon said, flipping over and giving the massager a whole new canvas to work with. “You’re definitely up to something.”

Changkyun sighed with his whole entire chest, tossing the zodiac paper to the side (Divination had never really been his thing) (although, really, these were pretty damn accurate) and flipping through the book beneath it. “You lack faith, young padawan.”

“No, I just know you. You never do something for nothing. You’re  _ up _ to something, and I’ll bet it has something to do with, what was his name? The guy with… authority?”

“Doing something for nothing is a wonderful way to waste your time,” Changkyun commented idly, eyes skimming the page in front of him.

Jooheon raised an eyebrow at the two degrees framed on the walls. “Yup. I can see you’re all about wasting your time.”

“Knowing something isn’t nothing. Spending your time learning is objectively the best way to spend it.” Changkyun looked over. “Yoo Kihyun. The guy with authority is my professor. You know this, you just want me to say it.”

Jooheon grinned, a mischievous light glinting in his eyes. “Changkyun, the times I saw you actually  _ visibly _ ruffled about anything I could count on one hand. Forgive me if I want to extract as much blackmail as possible out of this.” 

“Oh, but  _ I’m  _ up to something,” Changkyun laughed. “I see you, Lee Jooheon. I see  _ right through you _ .”

“I  _ never _ made a secret of being up to something.  _ You _ were the one who kept saying you were just ‘interested’.”

“It’s interesting!” Changkyun spluttered, making a point of flipping to the next page in the book. 

“Uh-huh.” Jooheon grabbed his wand off the table, waving it lazily at the massager and cancelling the charm. “As interesting as it is seeing you trying to convince yourself that this is all just for interest's’ sake, I actually do have a class to go to. Unfortunately.” Jooheon was pouting. Jooheon was pouting and Changkyun could see his shoulders slumping.

“Is it… a new class?” Changkyun asked, marking his spot in the book with a piece of paper lying around on his desk. He spun in his chair, very nonchalant.

Jooheon shook his head, still pouting as he pulled on his shirt and picked up his bag. “No. There’s just this… one guy. He keeps trying to flirt with me and he won’t fucking leave me alone. It’s… irritating.”

“I’ll hex him if you want,” Changkyun offered, deadpan. “You know I would one hundred percent do that. Make his dick the size of a worm.”

Jooheon grimaced. “I can handle it. It’s just something I don’t want to deal with today.”

“Understandable,” Changkyun said, jumping up and grinning. “But I didn’t learn that spell for nothing. Come on, I’ll walk with you, I wanted to go check something at the library.”

“Changkyun…”

_ “Don’t  _ start.”

Jooheon still sighed, holding the door open for Changkyun as he gathered his stuff. “I swear, you’re like the violent, overprotective little brother I never wanted.”

“But buy anyway at a yard sale,” Changkyun hummed, walking past Jooheon and waiting for him to lock the door before throwing his arm around his shoulders. “Mmm, make it official, Jooheoney, and call me bro."

“Never.”

 

\---

 

Changkyun scanned his wand at the entrance, giving a two-fingered salute to the little goblin sitting behind the desk. It may have smiled back. It’s difficult to tell, what with the shriveled avocado skin face. But Changkyun was an optimist. He swore he would make that goblin wave back one day, and he hadn’t lost hope yet. 

The path to the information desk was a familiar one, and the face behind the counter might just be a bigger challenge than the Entrance Goblin.

“Goooood morning, Hyungwon.”

Hyungwon, tall, thin, made even more so by the long dark robes he always wore, looked up, full lips pursing slightly. “Mr Im. You’re here. Again.”

(Changkyun was also waiting for the day Hyungwon didn’t look like he’d swallowed something sour every time Changkyun showed his face.)

“Do curb the enthusiasm, Chae, I’m just here for a book as usual.” Changkyun grinned, leaning against the counter. Changkyun was sure that even though Hyungwon acted like Changkyun was nothing more than a foul smell the breeze carried in occasionally, he had a soft spot for him somewhere under that pretty, selectively permeable appearance. Hyungwon always managed to find the books Changkyun was looking for, even if they weren’t on the system (which, again, Changkyun could probably just use and not bother the infamously unapproachable librarian, but where would be the fun in that?) and if that isn’t love, what is.

Hyungwon swiped his hand across the screen in front of him, clearing it, and looking up at Changkyun with one lazy eyebrow lifted. “What is it this time, Mr Im?” Hyungwon’s eyes flicked away, and he heaved a heavily put upon sigh.  “Hoseok, please, get down from there. You know you’re clumsy.”

Changkyun looked around frantically. There was an adorable bunny here  _ somewhere _ . As if on cue, a large, black rabbit (white spots on his butt, ear and paws) jumped onto the counter from a nearby shelf. Hoseok waggled his butt for a moment before jumping down and onto Hyungwon’s lap, Hyungwon having instinctively lifted his arm to give the bunny access.

Anyway.

“Any books containing everyone’s favourite Professor?” Changkyun asked, casually. “One ‘Yoo Kihyun’. I’m doing research and I found his stuff that’s been posted to the internet, but y’know, the smell of books, etc.”

Hyungwon raised an eyebrow, stroking the fur of Hoseok. “Why do  _ you _ want to know about Ki-- Professor Yoo?”

“The why is not as important as the ‘what’, to which I say, as much as I possibly can,” Changkyun grinned. “Why do you care?”

“I don’t.” Hyungwon sighed, typing something on his computer. He looked down at the rabbit. “See that? Take Changkyun to them. I’m too tired to get up.”

The bunny wiggled its rear before jumping off, bouncing out of view behind a bookcase, and somewhere between Hyungwon’s lap and where Changkyun stood, turned into a whole-ass human.

Changkyun stared at Hoseok with wide eyes. “That fucking  _ never _ gets old.”

“Language,” Hyungwon hummed, already turned away, his nose buried in a book.

Hoseok looked at him fondly (to which Changkyun could only roll his eyes and act like he hated it), before gesturing with his head for Changkyun to follow him. “Come on, let’s get your book.”

“ _ Book _ ? Singular?” Changkyun followed nonetheless, throwing a questioning look back at Hyungwon who--wasn’t looking. Obviously. “Only the one? Like.  _ One _ ?”

Hoseok shrugged, one hand trailing along the bookshelves as they walked along. “I mean, you could take more than one. There’s not much information about him, apart from his academic articles and achievements.” Hoseok grinned slightly. “Kihyun likes his privacy.”

Changyun crossed his arm, puffing out softly. “Privacy. When the internet exists? Please. Wait, you know him?”

Hoseok paused, casting a guilty look over his shoulder. “Whelp. Probably wasn’t supposed to tell you that. Aha.” He scratched the back of his head, before turning to Changkyun. “Forget I told you that. He’s…  _ really _ big on his privacy.”

Changkyun moved forward, clinging onto Hoseok’s arm and only having to slightly stand on the tips of his toes to look the familiar right in the eye. “So you  _ do  _ know him.”

Hoseok shifted his eyes away. “...Maybe. But, if you’re his student, and, I mean, even if you’re not, I can’t tell you whatever you want to know. Which I’m assuming how to pass his class. Which I  _ don’t _ know, so there.”

“Oh, pish posh, who cares about the class,” Changkyun waved his hand nonchalantly. “Me, obviously, but this isn’t about that. Not that it’s  _ about  _ anything.” Where are you going with this, Changkyun. “I’m just curious.”

Hoseok frowned, starting to walk again, shaking Changkyun off of him. “You are? Why? About what, exactly, too?”

Changkyun deflated. He didn’t know. He really didn’t. Maybe it was just the fact that Professor Yoo--Kihyun, whatever--was… God, what’s the word. “He’s interesting. Most people say he’s hundreds of years old, and I believe them, judging purely by his choice in sweaters. He is my teacher. I read some of his studies, I was just curious about--” 

“Do you have a list?” Hoseok was grinning, leaning against a bookcase. “I might need to tell Kihyun he has an… admirer.”

Changkyun felt his cheeks flare up. “ _ Admirer? _ I--You! Just because he’s interesting doesn’t mean I want him to--” Hold it  _ right there, Changkyun _ . The student coughed, flapping the air angrily with the sleeve falling off his arm. 

Hoseok’s eyes were bright, and he was leaning forward, and Changkyun was sure that if he still had a tail it would be wiggling. “You want him to  _ what?  _ Come on, Changkyunnie, you gotta tell me. Do you have the hots for my Kihyunnie?”

Changkyun bristled like, a cat challenged to duel. “He’s just an old stuffy potion teacher with a wand up his ass. Who happens to be smart. Smart enough to annoy me. Happy?”

Hoseok hummed, grabbing a few books from the shelf. “A stuffy old potion teacher that has you in the library for… recreational reading about him. Uh-huh. Okay.”

“He’s  _ smart, _ ” Changkyun snapped, a bark with no bite, grabbing the books out of Hoseok’s hand. “And so am I. I  _ read recreationally. _ ”

“Ah. So it’s an  _ intellectual _ attraction.” Hoseok nodded. “Explains everything.”

Changkyun glared, pointing a book at Hoseok. “It’s  _ not  _ an attraction. He’s my  _ teacher _ .”

“Pretty hot if you ask me,” Hoseok grinned, walking past Changkyun and paying no mind to the book pointed at him like a gun. “Almost as hot as crushing on the librarian.”

“Don’t out-do me!”

Hoseok waved a hand at him, walking over to Hyungwon to place a kiss on his head. Changkyun shook his head at them. Goddamn sickeningly adorable, they were. Now, to find out about Professor-- No. Now to find out about  _ Kihyun _ .

 

\---

 

Nothing. There was  _ nothing _ . Changkyun flipped through the books, and there was nothing here he didn’t know already. Fuck. Just  _ great _ . 

Changkyun let the book fall onto his face and embraced his dark wasteland of wasted efforts.

He couldn’t believe that, out of all the books the (magical!) school library had, there was only one book where Yoo Kihyun was even mentioned, and then only for the few texts he had written. Nothing about him. Nothing about where he came from. Nothing at all.

Changkyun groaned into the open pages of the book, and kicked just a little bit as he heard the dorm room’s door click open.

“ _ Jooheon _ ,” he groaned, spinning around to face the only other person with a key to his dorm room, “the library is use--” 

He cut off, mouth hanging open as he saw Jooheon’s bruised up jaw and the scratches along his arms, shirt torn slightly at the neckline. “Oh my god,” Changkyun swallowed. “Jooheon, I’m so sorry.”

Jooheon barely looked at him, headed straight for the bathroom. Changkyun jumped up, entire stomach turning at the splotches of blood on his shirt. “Hey, it’s okay, I’m not--” Changkyun shook his head. “Let me take you to the infirmary.”

Jooheon shook his head, mouth set in a tight line as he tested the temperature of the water. “No. I  _ really _ don’t need more people exposed to my…  _ charm _ .” He spat out the word like it was filthy, like he wanted to was his mouth after saying it. 

“They’ll help you,” Changkyun said. “Shit, I just, I can’t fucking do medical magic. You’re  _ hurt _ . I’ll make sure you’re okay, I...” Changkyun trailed off, entire stomach turning as Jooheon shed his shirt. There were too many bruises. So many bruises. Changkyun’s hand twitched. 

Jooheon sighed, the tight line his shoulders had been holding falling, and Changkyun could see him wince when he reached for a wash cloth. “I don’t… want to see people now, Changkyun. If I don’t feel better by tomorrow morning, I’ll go.”

Changkyun sighed, stepping forward and grabbing the wash cloth from Jooheon, who let his arm fall. Changkyun dabbed at the bruises with the cloth, frowning. “There will be like, one or two people. Probably fairies. I just--don’t want there to be something wrong and then we’re too late. Or something. I don’t know. I’m being reasonably paranoid over here, okay.”

Jooheon attempted a chuckle, but gasped, arm coming up to grasp at his chest. He took a few deep breaths, with Changkyun looking on wide-eyed, before sighing. “Okay, yeah. But, I get to wear that god-awful hoodie of yours. The one with the wolf head.”

Changkyun laughed softly, fighting against the tight feeling in his chest. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll go get it.” Changkyun handed him the cloth. “Just get all the blood off of you first. It’s one of my favourite hoodies.”

“You have horrid taste,” Jooheon informed him, gently working the cloth on his face.

“Yeah, look at who I’m friends with, after all,” Changkyun teased, leaving Jooheon to clean as he threw out nearly his entire closet because  _ where the hell had he had that thing last _ .

 

\---

 

By the time they reached the infirmary, Jooheon was limping. 

“See, I knew it. The adrenaline wears off and suddenly you’re dying.”

“ _ Hardly _ . I think I just stepped wrong when I was running.” 

Changkyun grimaced, trying not to shiver as his blood ran cold at that sentence. “Would you be able to point the assholes out? I have a few more hexes I feel like trying out.”

Jooheon was shaking his head even before Changkyun finished speaking. “Changkyunnie, just leave it. It’s not worth it. It’s not like they’ll learn their lesson. One of the many perks of being me.” Jooheon smiled humourlessly.

Changkyun bit the inside of his cheek. It wasn’t like Changkyun didn’t  _ know  _ the effect his best friend had on people. They’d grown up together, Changkyun had seen it all, had been there for every school ground bully and every stupid bigoted thing people thought they had any right to say. But he hated the effect it had on Jooheon even more.

“Turning one of them into a frog wouldn’t  _ hurt _ ,” Changkyun grumbled. The infirmary was bright, even in the dark. It was a known fact that the infirmary was The Place To Go if you wanted to run into a fairy. Their healing magic was extraordinary, and they viewed most serious human ailments as nothing more than a common cold. 

(The few times Changkyun had shown up, groaning with a hangover, they had giggled at him, put a potion in his hands, and left him be. Of course, after a while, Changkyun learned to get off his ass and brew them himself, tired of the teasing the fairies seemed incapable of not giving.)

Changkyun used his side to push the doors open, hefting the both of them in.

The girl at the front desk, a tired student by Changkyun’s estimation, given the number of books open in front of her and the dark circles under her eyes, gave them one look before waving them through, calling out for someone named Minhyuk.

“Just a moment!” the fairy (Changkyun  _ assumed,  _ because they nearly always were), called out. “Sit him down on the bed, I’ll be right with you.”

Changkyun led Jooheon (who, to his credit, was only wincing) to the crinkly bed, smiling when Jooheon wiggled his butt on it, just to hear it crinkle.  

“This is a top university. You’d think there’d be better beds,” Jooheon sulked. Jooheon didn’t sulk much, but when he did, he really did his best to  _ sulk _ . 

“You’d think they wouldn’t let trash study here either, but here we are,” Changkyun moped. Moping for Changkyun was like sulking for Jooheon but  _ louder _ .

“It’s not their fault,” Jooheon mumbled. “I mean, if you think about it, I practically  _ make _ them do it.” Jooheon scrunched his nose. “Calm down pheromones, for fuck’s sake.”

Changkyun gaped. He’d heard this reasoning before but-- “They’re not fucking  _ animals _ , Jooheon. They’re humans who felt an urge and didn’t for one second  _ think  _ before--”

The curtains--thin, crinkly, as things here seemed to fall into the habit of being--opened and Changkyun stopped himself and plopped down on the chair next to the bed, entirely dissatisfied.

“Now,” the brightly smiling fairy looked at them, his pointed ears adorned with numerous piercings, “What can I do for--” He cut himself off, eyes zeroing in on Jooheon. “Oh, goodness, you’re a veela. Mmm,” the fairy looked down at the clipboard in front of him and made a small note. Jooheon straightened up indignantly. 

“Interesting.” The fairy pursed his lips, tapping the pen against the clipboard for a second. “Guess I don’t have to ask why you’re here.” He smiled tightly, looking between the two of them, before settling on Jooheon. “My name’s Minhyuk. Are you okay with him staying here?”

Jooheon shot a glance at Changkyun, who shrugged, before nodding. “He’s fine.”

“Right,” Minhyuk said, walking over to Jooheon and gently putting Jooheon’s head between his hands. In a world where most medical professionals weren’t fairies with weird mind-abilities, it might have looked just a tad bit odd. But Minhyuk closed his eyes and frowned. “I’m surprised you only needed one person to bring you here. You’re in a lot of pain.”

Jooheon cleared his throat. “I’ve had worse.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Minhyuk mumbled, and took a breath, before removing his hands and smiling at Jooheon. “You have three bruised ribs on your left side,” Minhyuk said, idly gesturing to his own. “Mostly bruises, but it’s why you struggle to breathe.”

Changkyun winced. He  _ knew _ there had been something funky with Jooheon’s breathing while they were making their way to the infirmary.

“Have you coughed at all?” Minhyuk asked, picking up his little clipboard again and talking as he wrote. “Any blood?”

Jooheon glanced at Changkyun, before shaking his head. “I could feel myself wanting to cough, but I felt like it would hurt too much.”

“Good call,” Minhyuk said with a tight little smile, “It’ll hurt like a bitch, I wouldn’t suggest it. Right. So. Lots of bruising, as you know. But I want to take you through and take some x-rays and all that. Don’t want you to puncture a lung or anything, and unfortunately, I can’t tell if you have any internal bleeding by, well, magic.”

Jooheon rolled his eyes. “They didn’t hit  _ that _ hard.” 

Minhyuk’s fingers seemed to whiten around the edges of the board (a sentiment Changkyun understood one hundred percent). “It’s better to be safe, either way,” he replied, his demure tone belying the way his shoulders had tensed slightly. “It’s a quiet night, after all. Humour me.”

Jooheon sighed, but nodded. Changkyun knew he was unwilling to be there, to be cared for, to have his, his  _ shame _ (as Jooheon saw it, at least), laid out for someone else to see. But, hearing what Minhyuk was saying, he was so,  _ so _ glad he had insisted on them coming here. 

“Okay, Jooheon, right? Can you just quickly take your shirt off for me? I want to see how deep the bruising is, and what potions I need to give.” Changkyun noticed that Minhyuk had slipped gloves onto his hands, removing the skin on skin contact, and was standing with his hands raised.

Jooheon sighed and, with his eyes averted, not looking at either of them, he slipped off his shirt. Changkyun sighed, averting his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“It’s not that bad, he says,” Changkyun grumbled, but Minhyuk approached Jooheon wordlessly, prodding carefully at the bruises that had formed in the time it had taken them to get Jooheon there. Minhyuk moved methodically, watching the bruises discolor just faintly under his touch and eyes flicking up to watch Jooheon’s facial expression as he did. It took under a minute, maybe more, if Changkyun cared about keeping track, before Minhyuk waved at him to put his shirt back on and Jooheon did so immediately, face flushing when his eyes caught Changkyun’s.

“See, perfectly fine,” Jooheon said, through gritted teeth.

Minhyuk smiled softly, opening a drawer and doing a little flip with his pen between deft fingers. “I expect this must be more of an inconvenience for you than anything. You look  _ very  _ eager to be here, after all.”

“I would’ve been fine,” Jooheon grumbled. “Not like I haven’t been in this position before. This one,” he rolls his eyes towards Changkyun, “just worries too much.”

“It’s my right as his dutifully annoying best friend.”

“I think he’s got the right idea,” Minhyuk said, sitting down on the rickety office chair by a makeshift desk. “Nine out of ten times, you’re just bruised. One out of ten you have internal bleeding and die in a day.” Minhyuk shrugged. “Just saying.”

“Listen to the nice nurse,” Changkyun nodded, smiling just slightly enough to know he’d annoy Jooheon.

Jooheon’s face had been paling steadily as Minhyuk spoke, and was left looking at Minhyuk with wide eyes when the nurse finally turned around again. 

“If this happens again,” Minhyuk continued, looking at his clipboard. “I’ve already seen you shirtless.”

“Um,” Jooheon began, eyebrows raising, hands coming up protectively. “What…?”

“Ask for me,” Minhyuk chirped, looking up to smile at him. Damn, what a look, Changkyun almost wanted to look away. “If you get hurt again, which--” he turned slightly in his chair to face Changkyun. “I would appreciate not happening again.” Changkyun gave a two fingered mock-salute and the nurse tipped his head, smiling back at Jooheon. “Ask for me. We’ve met, I’m not a stranger anymore. And you don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”

Jooheon opened his mouth, closed it, blinked. “Okay. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Minhyuk smiled brightly. “Now, would you prefer a prescription for the potion, or a recipe?”

“Recipe is fine, Changkyun’s good at potions.”

Changkyun scoffed. “ _ Good _ .”

Jooheon rolled his eyes. “Yes. Good. Your ego is big enough shut up.”

Minhyuk laughed, scribbling down what Changkyun assumed was the recipe. “I don’t think being in Kihyun’s class helps.” He handed the paper over to Changkyun, pushing his way around the little nurses station on the office chair. “Add some extra gillyweed if he’s being fussy. Jooheon, not Kihyun. Nothing we can do about the latter.”

“I’m not a  _ child _ ,” Jooheon complained, pouting and crossing his arms. 

“Oh, so  _ you  _ want to brew this potion, then?” Changkyun waved the little paper about. “I might still have a Little Tyke’s Potion Set at the back of my closet.”

“Okay,  _ listen _ , I  _ have _ Potions I it’s not like I’m completely incapable and--”

“As  _ delighted  _ as I am to be privy to this,” Minhyuk laughed. “I think I might need to see some other patients now. And I have a very lovely conversation to have with our head of security.”

“Oh, that’s really not necessary--” Jooheon began, only for Changkyun to slap a hand across his mouth, smiling widely.

“Do you accept helpful contributions?” Changkyun asked Minhyuk, keeping his hand firmly over Jooheon’s mouth. “I’d suggest we start with not letting them into the the university in the  _ first  _ place.”

“Very helpful, thank you,” Minhyuk grinned, standing, and as Changkyun was  _ not  _ keen on having his best friend resort to licking his hand, he quickly retracted it, keeping his grin.

“As were  _ you _ ,” Changkyun said, bowing with a flourish. 

 

\---

 

Kihyun’s leg was jiggling. It was jiggling, jiggling, jiggling, almost a compulsion, feeling like if he stopped something would go very, very wrong. He was aware of the fact that this wasn’t the best way in which to deal with… well, anything. But the leg jiggling helped. It helped, and he didn’t  _ care _ if Hyungwon had been staring at him with raised eyebrows for about five minutes and--

“ _ What? _ ”

“You’re looking more wound up than usual,” Hyungwon said, turning back to his book like he’d spent enough attention away from it for now, thank you very much.

“I always look wound up,” Kihyun grumbled, shifting his shoulders.

“He  _ did _ say more than usual,” Hoseok pointed out helpfully.

“Well, you know, start of the semester, and stuff.” Kihyun cleared his throat, focusing on the book in front of him again.

Hyungwon and Hoseok exchanged a look. It wasn’t a look Kihyun particularly liked, and it took a moment’s deep consideration to figure out if he was going to actually give a rat’s ass about it.

He did.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Hyungwon hummed. Kihyun levelled a look at him, eyes steely, decided that ‘nothing’ wasn’t a good way to spend his time, and went back to his book. Which is exactly when Hyungwon decided to  _ keep talking _ .

“Just, you know, there was a certain, you know, student asking about you. A student almost as short as you are.” Kihyun felt his jaw click as he set it. “Just thought that was interesting,” Hyungwon concluded, paging through his book.

“Are you actually reading that or is it more a prop?”

“Irrelevant,” Hyungwon said, flipping another page. “Who’s the kid?”

“You’re the one that  _ met  _ him, how the hell am I supposed to know.”

Hyungwon pursed his lips. “Who do  _ you _ think it was?”

“I think he said his name was Changkyun,” Hoseok supplied helpfully.

“ _ Hoseok _ ,” Hyungwon groaned. “This is my only entertainment,  _ please _ .”

Kihyun grumbled, trying to focus on the page in front of him. “That seems like a personal matter.”

Hyungwon shut the book harshly enough for it to be audible. 

“Don’t regret making me give a shit.”

“I never asked you to give a shit.”

“Friendship. It’s an occupational hazard.”

Hoseok frowned to himself, kicking his feet lightly from where he was sitting on the counter. “Kind of rude not to know who he is when he came all the way to the library for books about you.”

Kihyun coughed lightly. “He what?”

Hyungwon grinned like a cat that had snuck its way into a cream factory, Hoseok nodding adamantly. “He said he was curious about you. But don’t worry, I asked him if he was interested in you and he assured me it was purely academical.”

“ _ You asked him if he was interested _ \--”

Hyungwon hummed. “ _ Dear _ , didn’t you say your exact wording was ‘do you have the hots for my Kihyunnie’? That was it, wasn’t it?”

“ _ Kihyunnie? _ ”

“ _That's_ __ the part you have a problem with?”

“I just! Stop talking about me in the diminutive.”

Hyungwon leaned over to Hoseok, whispering in his ear. “He has size issues.”

Kihyun opened his mouth, closed it, took a deep breath, ignored the heat in his face, and turned towards Hoseok. “What, exactly, did he say?”

“That you’re a stuffy old professor with a wand up your ass. I think. It was a bit ago.”

“He got the old part right,” Hyungwon mumbled.

Kihyun’s leg was still jiggling, speeding up somewhat, and he could feel a stabbing pain developing behind his eyes. “That fucking-- Okay, listen, I don’t know what ideas you two have thought up about me and the kid--”

“--Absolutely nothing in detail, I assure you--”

“--but there’s absolutely  _ nothing going on _ ,” Kihyun finished, glaring at Hyungwon.

“We didn’t say there was,” Hoseok laughed.

“I just, don’t want you to think, weird stuff,” Kihyun finished, rubbing one hand above his eyes, willing the impending migraine away.

“Alright, alright,” Hyungwon said, and that should have been it. It really should have been. “Hyunwoo mentioned something  _ very  _ interesting to me the other day.” 

Kihyun sighed. He sighed again. He shut the book and admitted defeat. “What, what did he say.”

“Someone passed your Kobayashi Maru.”

“You watch too much sci-fi,” Kihyun grumbled.

“You got the reference, you know. Now respond properly.”

“No. I don’t want to.”

Hyungwon smiled ruefully. “Hoseok knows what book he gave him.”

Kihyun twitched. “It’s unfair to bait my intellectual curiosity.”

Hyungwon paid little attention to this, flipping yet another page. “How is it that a student--a student who apparently can’t find a book without annoying me personally--passed your impossible to pass quiz?”

“Every boat is unsinkable until it sinks,” Hoseok, once again, added helpfully.

“Thank you, Hoseok.”

“You’re welcome.”

 

\---

 

Kihyun was in class. He was in class, standing in front of a room full of attentive students, and… he could barely look at them. His head was a pounding mass of pain and he could feel the muscles in his leg pulling,  _ pulling _ , setting up a dull pain in his lower body. His hand twitched towards his cellphone, wanting to call Hyunwoo so,  _ so _ badly. But. 

But it was the second week of classes. It was the second week of classes, his class barely knew him, and he was  _ already there _ . He just, he just had to stick it out, just for two hours. Just for two hours. 

Kihyun cleared his throat, leaning back against his desk as unobtrusively as possible. “Okay, this class is a...creative thinking exercise.” Ah, yes Kihyun, brilliant. This bullshit sounded believable. 

Apparently, it was. The class looked at him, nodding in understanding, some looking eager.

That is, except for Changkyun, who’s facial expression looked a lot like Kihyun had just asked them to run around in a circle three times and clap. A sort of bemused incredulity somewhere between his creased eyebrows, tilted head and lopsided, dimpled grin. 

Well, fuck him. Kihyun was tired, had a migraine that would have him lying in a dark room for hours. Kihyun did not have time for this arrogant student who apparently thought he had a wand up his butt. 

“You can make any potion in the book, past what we’ve done already, but don’t overextend yourself cause it  _ does _ count, and if you fail you’re out.” 

Kihyun narrowed his eyes, watching to see who sighed in relief and who froze up in fright. It was a fairly even distribution, much as expected, until Kihyun’s eyes fell on Changkyun, who, the little fucker, was watching Kihyun with a small, smug-looking smile. 

“Also, don’t test it on other students, since apparently I have to say that now.”

Kihyun resisted the urge to narrow his eyes at him. He didn’t wanna aggravate the pain. And Changkyun aggravated the fucking pain.

Kihyun, from his desk, not caring, not paying Changkyun any heed, idly noticed that Changkyun opened his book, cover facing the table, and opened it from the back. Kihyun gently laid his head on the soothing cold wood of his desk.

God, really?  _ Really? _

He was so, he was so  _ arrogant _ . It was infuriating. And like, definitely not helping the pain gently pulsing through his whole body, coming to an excruciating point behind his eyes.

“What do you like to eat?”

Kihyun slowly lifted his head from his arms, blinking slowly up at, of course, fucking Changkyun. Sitting on his table. 

“Kids like you for breakfast,” he croaked out.

Changkyun barked out a surprised laugh, “Well, alright. How’s that diet working out for you?”

“I’m fucking  _ starving _ . Go away.”

Changkyun shoulders shook with laughter he kept behind his closed fist, pressed against his mouth. “God. Okay.  _ Other _ than that? Cake? Kimchi? Freakin, I don’t know, Crepe Suzette.”

Kihyun pursed his mouth. He liked.... He liked… God, his brain was too tired for this. “Cake. Cake is nice. Now, go bother your cauldron. It looks lonely.”

“But does it promise to eat you for breakfast, I wonder,” Changkyun hummed, hopping off the table and walking back to his cauldron.

Kihyun, in a moment of insanity, opened his mouth, and actually said, “It fucking might, if you ask nicely.” Kihyun blinked, realised he just cursed in front of a fucking student, and groaned again. Huh. Looked like his higher brain functions had gone on a cruise to the Caribbean. “Ignore that!” Kihyun sighed. “I’m like, 90% tired over here.”

Changkyun chuckled to himself, shaking his head with a laugh and continuing with… whatever he was doing. It wasn’t a cake.

Kihyun lay back down.

For the remainder of the class, that’s what Kihyun did. When there was something that sounded a lot like incoming disaster, he looked up, but there was no explosion, no deaths. It was fine. Just a small fire. They could handle it.

Probably. Hopefully, cause Kihyun wasn’t gonna help. He’d just fail them. Insurance existed for a reason. Less tests to mark. It was a win for all of them.

At the end of class, there was a line of students in front of Kihyun’s desk, and he waved a hand, a test tube rack appearing, prompting the students to start placing their potions in it. Kihyun listened to the clink of potions being deposited, and sighed when it finally quieted down, the last of the footsteps disappearing down the hallway. Finally.

“Here’s your potion, monsieur.”

Kihyun looked up. What the  _ fuck _ .

“Changkyun. What.”

“La potion,” Changkyun gestured to the little potion in his hand like it was a prize winning pony. “Pour toi. Oui oui.”

“That’s not how you. No. You can’t just, the grammar is different. You can speak Latin but not French?”

“Eh, French seemed a bit pompous to me,” Changkyun grinned unabashedly.

Kihyun sat up, the fire of his indignation burning brighter than his pain. “ _ French _ seemed a bit  _ pompous? _ Have you  _ seen  _ Latin?”

“Yeah, your test was full of it,” Changkyun continued grinning, spinning the little bottle between his fingers before putting it down on the table. “What was that about being pompous again?”

“...That is not the point here.”

Changkyun shoved his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie and gestured to the vial with a tip of his head. “Let them eat cake. Drink cake. Etc.”

Kihyun frowned at the vial. Cake. Changkyun said something about cake.  _ He _ said something about cake. “This isn’t a cake.”

Changkyun, to his credit, kept his laugh at bay. “No. But it  _ tastes _ like cake. Which, you know, much preferable to tasting like frog vomit or whatever the hell.”

Kihyun eyes widened, his interest piqued. “Actually, it tastes like rotten fungus. Notoriously so.” He leaned forward, pain pushed aside, holding out his hands for the potion. “Does it really taste like cake?”

Changkyun shrugged, smile turning to the floor, hands balling up in his pockets. “It should. I’m not too keen to be on the verge of death and test it out, though.”

Kihyun pulled the vial closer, waving his hand over it, watching as it turned white, pink, swirled a rainbow colour for about four seconds, and then settled back into purple again. “It… looks fine.” He popped the vial open, sniffed it, smelling the sweet scent of frosting, and smiled a small, pleased smile. “It smells like frosting.  _ Cool _ .”

When Kihyun looked up, Changkyun was pink in the face, eyes wide in what looked a lot like  _ wonder _ , a small smile tugging at his lips. “Th--thanks.” He flushed from pink to red. “I mean--hah, I don’t know what I meant there.”

“You should take this to Minhyuk. He could use it. Run his own tests. See if it actually works.”

Changkyun deflated just a little. “It’ll work. It… should. I did everything right.”

Kihyun narrowed his eyes. “I believe you. Better to be safe than sorry though. This really kind of is life and death.”

Kihyun tried not to let it show how impressed he really was. It took a lot to make this potion. Your timing and precision with the measurements had to be incredible, correct to the last microscopic detail. You had to be precise. This was a potion used to stablise people who’d gotten injured severely. Stabilise them enough to get them to a hospital, to the fairies.

And, well, Kihyun was pretty sure Changkyun had done it. 

It wouldn’t do to tell him that though. His ego was big enough as it was.

“I get it. I--” Changkyun rubbed at the back of his neck, correcting the glasses on his nose with a sheepishness Kihyun wouldn’t have thought he  _ had _ . “I didn’t test it on anyone, I swear. Ob-obviously. They’d have to be dying. Uhm.”

Kihyun huffed out a laugh. “Obviously.” 

He pursed his lips. He’d been turning it over in his head for while now… Changkyun was obviously too smart for his class. He had done the last potion in the book, apparently perfectly, and he had even changed the taste. Which was, well, really cool. Really good. And… he hadn’t seen talent like that for a while now. Hadn’t thought anyone could keep up with him anymore, stuck in a class full of barely not idiots year after year. 

He bit his lip. “Changkyun. Would you like to… do a sort of, like, mentorship program with me? Meaning I mentor you, of course. We… well, we both know you’re too smart for this class. And I would hate to see your talent go to waste.” And you need direction, he didn’t say. And you need someone to take you down a peg, before you end up… burned. He didn’t say.

“Yes!” Changkyun said. Exclaimed. It was very enthusiastic. “God, I’d--I’d  _ love  _ that. I know I’d asked you before but--” Changkyun laughed. “Kih--Professor Yoo, I saw Lucas set a bezoar on fire not ten minutes ago. I love your class but oh my  _ god _ .”

Kihyun frowned. “How the fuck do you set a bezoar on fire? That’s like. You’re not supposed to put that in potions.”

“Exactly! It would take effort! There’s effort in his fuck up, it’s amazing.”

“Hey. Only I’m allowed to curse.”

Changkyun laughed, hands pushing down in his pocket as he swayed between his toes and heels. “Sorry, sir. Feel free to keep cursing.”

“I will,” Kihyun mumbled, pushing himself upright with a grunt. “I’m like, a lot of years older than you.”

“I’ve heard,” Changkyun grinned. “So when would you like me?”

Kihyun paused, glancing up to see if he had heard that right. Changkyun was still smiling at him though, no sign of deceit in his eyes, so he let it go, too preoccupied with getting back to his apartment. He dug his phone out of his pocket, unlocked it, and held it out for Changkyun.

“Put your number in, I’ll look at my schedule and set up a meeting.”

Changkyun took his phone, eyebrow quirked as he typed. “For some reason my mind didn’t connect you with a Samsung Note.”

Kihyun shrugged. “I don’t know what phone that is. Minhyuk got it for me. He said my Nokia was sad.”

Changkyun laughed, handing the phone back and grinning, biting his tongue between his teeth. “See, now that makes sense to me.”

“Uh, yeah.” Kihyun’s eyes were strangely drawn to that little slip of pink tongue between Changkyun’s teeth, and he swallowed quickly. “Right, so, I’ll let you know.”

Changkyun pursed his lips and nodded, and--if Kihyun’s migraine and fatigue wasn’t completely fucking up his perception of reality--looked Kihyun over from head to toe in one quick glance as he turned around, grabbed his bag, and made his way out of class.

  
  
  



End file.
